


Never go home again

by Travelerwanted



Series: Mixed Realities United [1]
Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Street Fighter
Genre: AUs smashed to get this to work..., Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-04-29 22:13:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14482293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Travelerwanted/pseuds/Travelerwanted
Summary: A trip home puts a young sports reporter on a journey she NEVER expected...





	1. Enter the Reporter

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s note: This, well is going to be a crazy ride folks. Coleen, her family, and a few other assorted cast members are based on myself or close friends or people that I grew up with. Some of them, I hope NEVER find this thing. I’m writing it basically to just write, get things out of my head. I’m not taking credit for many of the people in this story. They belong to their respective companies though I am taking liberties with some of their personalities (some cases mixing a few sources to get it right.) I’m not writing this for money, this is just exercises in story telling for me, and a way to get my over active imagination to shut the fuck up for a little while.
> 
> I will try to remember to mark sections of this if it goes NSFW, ANYWAY
> 
> You’re all here for the story not my rambling. As I said you’re in for a crazy ride.

Fox Creek  
Alaska  
Winter 1999

The ice fog made the small town look so clean and innocent from the overlook. She stood in the sixty below cold, her camera clicking a few shots before she turned heading back to the Toyota Land Cruiser, a hand-me-down from her father for her nineteenth birthday, eight months ago when she headed out for college, right after high school, one that she loved and abused as much as she could. Being home for the holidays, was one such reason, back at school, the car fit in perfectly with the beaches, here, she lovingly called ‘Ol’ Blue the Deathtrap’. Even though she barely had to worry about getting stuck.

Setting the camera on the passenger seat she pulled off her gloves, warming her hands by the heater a moment before she even thought about heading home. Her brother and Dad didn’t even know that she was coming home. She had told them she was planning on going on the trip to Japan for a semester, but plans had changed, the tournament round she was supposed to report on ended up being moved to San Francisco, so she had time to visit her family while they were prepping. Flicking on the radio she listened to the static a few moments before finding a proper station. 

 

“Good morning Fox Creek, and what a cold one it is out there. Hope you all have your parkas because pull-overs aren’t gonna cut it.” The DJ started up. “In hockey news today, our own Fox Kits will be playing against Lathrop High’s Malamutes tonight at the Carlson Center. Go Kits! We’re on a winning streak having sent the Wolf Pack scrambling back to west valley with their tails between their legs last week. Let’s do the same to the mutts!” 

Coleen chuckled a little, she had actually missed hearing Glen in the mornings while she was away in college in Portland, though living there had helped with her writing and photography. She had sold some photos in underground fighting publications. For both the World Warrior tournament, where she tended to try to catch all the matches with Ken Masters when he was on the west coast, and the King of Fighters, which was a little harder to catch matches, though she had made friends with a few fighters.

“Now Glen, do try to remember that you work with an ex mutt.” That would be Jenny, his co-host, the same pair had been doing the morning radio show since Cole had been ten. Cole hissed a little in mocking, since Jen was an ‘enemy’, Though really the school rivalries weren’t as bad in the schools as they were in the Dojos. She couldn’t hate on Jen too much, Jen’s father had been the one to get her into Martial arts in the first place. Though most of the fighters she knew now, were well above her black belt league.

“You know I always exclude you Jenjen.” 

Cole put the manual transmission in reverse, backing out of the parking space she had pulled into. She was fifteen minutes from home, and couldn’t wait to get there. Pulling out of the lot, she turned onto the Richardson heading north, turning off the main strip when she got past Chena River Road. The fog thinned here, too many trees lined the main street, though she knew it was still cold, the lit billboard at the bank gave out the time, ten am, and temperature, 65 degrees below fahrenheit. She still had to use the headlights, without them it was pitch black out once she turned off main street onto Birch. Her house was at the end of the small cul de sac bucked up to a swamp of black spruce. It was the only house that wasn’t sinking thanks to the ice under the ground. the people who had built the house had insulated it from the ice, and the place was the only one without a basement.

 

The yard light was on as she pulled into the parking area in front of the house. There was room for two cars shoveled out. Her brother’s forest green 4X4 was sitting in the spot closest to the door, she could see the bright orange cord from the house to the battery blanket. Grinning a bit she turned off the deathtrap, she’d plug her car in later, remembering that if she didn’t it would be a bitch to start if she stayed inside for more than eight hours. The blanket around the battery kept it warm, easing starting, and no one had thought it weird having a plug sticking out of the car when she had been back at school. The trips she took to southern Cali following a friend’s band had caused looks, which she ignored.

Grabbing her camera, and the smaller go bag on the floorboard, she headed for the covered porch. Hitting the doorbell she waited to see if her brother would answer.

“Cole?” The almost thirty year old man that answered the door looked surprised seeing the bleached blonde girl in a purple parka, leather ankle boots, and a white scarf to help ward off the chill. The smile on his face had her wish she had the camera ready to catch it.

“Hey Maxie, I would have called, but ya know, wanted a better surprise. Dad at the lab?” 

She didn’t get an answer, instead she was caught up in a bear hug. Max ushered his little step sister in. “Man, he’s gonna flip, you’re supposed to be on your way to Tokyo.”

“Yeah, I decided next semester, it’s not like I can’t get gigs writing for magazines for a few months, and you were right big bro… A masters in history and minor in computer sciences… is really boring.” She smirked. “Besides, the magazine I’m working for, told me to go home for break. Apparently I make the other reporters look bad by doing such a good job with interviews.”

Max laughed at that letting her go when he kicked the door closed. “You have gear in the car you want brought in?”

“I can get it, my room still my room?”

“We’ve been too busy to turn it into a gaming room.” Max grinned. “Lemme call work, tell them I won’t be in.”

“Still working at Cap Cook’s?” She asked snapping a quick photo of her brother, one for her personal files. Was probably a good thing she did her own film, though she was sure if she needed to do any here, she’d have to get time in the photolab at the high school. If Clarkson was still in charge of it great. If not… well her next article wasn’t due out for two months, more than enough time to go home and develop it.

“Yeah, head chef. Reason it’s a five star now, well, between me an’ Jess. Seriously once she bought the place two years ago, we’ve updated everything. Turned it from a dump into one of the best places to stay for an Alaskan experience. We’ve even gotten a few tour buses booking rooms in the summer. And the rock pool onsen, is a major draw in the winter. Both visitors and locals alike. It’s of course not a true onsen. Clothing required.”

She set her camera on the coffee table, and her backpack on the floor next to it. “Well I know where I’m going tomorrow. Won’t be the one I like near Okinawa, but I’ll live.” She grinned a little.

“You must be exhausted,” Her brother chuckled. “Go get your gear, I’ll make you something to eat, Dad won’t be home until six, unless you want me to call him.”

“Hell no. I want this to be a surprise, but food would be great. I drove through Fairbanks, as much as I love Jeffries grease fest, and Food Factory, nothing beats your meals.” She felt him catch her in a headlock.

“That’s because you grew up on it kiddo.” He grinned at the frown she gave. She hated being reminded she was his baby sister. The Step part, was only used if they were joking around. Both of them were close, if not closer than biological siblings. Max had never treated her as anything but his sister, even introducing her to his family as ‘his sister’. 

“Hey, Portland has some awesome pubs, I could have fallen in love with another chef.” She yelped at the noogie she received. She struggled to keep her composure, Max was the ONLY one she’d allow to give her a noogie without getting his ass kicked. If only because she was afraid he wouldn’t cook for her after. She was really fond of his cooking.

“And risk being disowned by the coolest older brother ever?” She snapped back.

“Step brother,” She droned, even though he was her only sibling and never treated her as anything but his baby sister, “And getting on the hated list because of lack of air.” She faked a struggle, knowing that Max wouldn’t really hurt her. Hell after her mother died and his father locked himself in the lab trying to find a cure for the illness that had killed her, Max had become her parent. Her own father couldn’t be trusted to take care of her with as often he was in jail, or the hospital for his drug habit. 

“Ow, such love brat.” He released her. “What do you want for lunch?”

“Anything you feel like cooking. Let me go grab my laptop and the rest of my gear. Mind if I put in laundry before I eat?”

“I’ll do it after you grab a shower.”

“Ever the mother. Your boyfriend must love it.”

“Alas, single again.” He put the back of his hand to his forehead. “I’ll never find the one.”

“Explains the mother henning.” She grinned. “I’ll be back in soon. I only brought a few things, most of it is in the storage space you and Dad insisted I get back in Portland.” She stretched biting back a yawn, the drive had taken more out of her than she wanted to admit. “And really, you’ll find someone. If not you can always come to Portland with me. The scene’s better.” 

“Might be, but I love my job. I mean rebuilding a local historical site into a five star, and still keeping it reasonable for the locals to enjoy. Little hard to do in a bigger city.” He smiled at her. “Now go get your gear and grab a shower. I’ll make you lunch then you’re going to bed.

“True.” She stuck out her tongue. “Hai hai. Sheesh, you’re worse than ‘Kami and Sensei.”

A meal of grilled cheese (Cheddar and Mozzarella on freshly baked honey wheat, made that morning) and a side of homemade chili (from the crockpot since it was what he had planned for dinner), had Cole yawning, glad he had made her grab a shower before hand. She had also found out that he had put clean sheets on her bed, turning it down while she had been in the shower. Four days making it through Dead Horse before a storm, had her beat. Cole was asleep before she face planted into the pillow, surprising Dad, could wait until she was more awake.

 

Max peeked in to check on her, covering her with a blanket before he went to start on her laundry. He was glad she was back, not sure how long she’d be there, but he had missed his little sister.

“Sleep well Coleen,” He whispered snagging up the bag with her clothes. Staying home would leave the guys flailing about for a bit, though he knew Pete could handle the kitchen. Wasn’t like there was anything different to do than any other day. And the special for the night was something he had tested with the kitchen staff already. They knew how to make it. Family was more important.

Walking to the laundry room he started sorting, reaching for the phone when it rang.

“Max? You okay? Pete said you weren’t coming in today.” It was Jess. 

“Yeah, Cole is home, she just arrived about two hours ago. She’s currently asleep. I guess I still have the magic touch with simple food.”

There was a sigh of relief. “I was worried you were sick, four of the cleaning staff are out today because of a bug going around. I would hate it if you caught it too.”

“Hey I’m immune to colds remember?” He joked. “Don’t worry Jess I’ll be there tomorrow. Just thought since she drove up solo, I’d hang with her today.” 

“Only your sister would drive up here this late in the season alone. I swear there’s somethin’ wrong with that girl.” The comment held a tone of pride though. Jess knew how independent Coleen Ghost was. And how resourceful she was. “When she wakes up, tell her that we have one of those fighters she’s always writing about here. I think the other one in town is staying at the Ice Palace.” 

“Oh?” He thought a moment. “Right, that tournament that’s going on this weekend. She didn’t say anything about it. I didn’t know that there would be underground fighters there too. I’ll tell her, she might have kept it because we were catching up.” He put in the whites, turning on the machine. “I’ll ask when she gets up. Poor kid looked exhausted.”

“Okay, hey, bring her by the inn sometime she’s here. I want to ask her some things, see if we can use that site of hers for some extra publicity.” 

“You know she’d do it without asking right?”

“Oh I know. I’m still going to pay for an ad there though. Wouldn’t be fair to completely abuse our family friendship for business.”

Max laughed. “I’ll let her know about it Jess. Talk to you later, want to get some things done here, maybe work on that new dessert recipe I’ve been playing with. Still can’t seem to get the balance right.”

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow Max.” Jess chuckled. “Just be careful, okay? Wouldn’t want my star chef to get sick with so many important people around.


	2. STARS no More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Piers arrive in Fox Creek.

Chris Redfield shrugged deeper into his coat as he looked over at the STARS team he was with, scratch that, ex-STARS. STARS had died in Raccoon City with the outbreak. They weren’t the Raccoon Survivors, Jill and Barry had stayed on the East Coast to help clear out anyone else who might have had ties to Umbrella, the group he was with were all clear, hand picked by him. And Becky had been transferred to the CDC to continue to work on the T-virus. Her team were trying to find a cure for it, using some of the only samples that had made it out of the city. 

Chris still wasn’t sure if he knew how the samples had been taken, he just knew he felt better with Chambers in a lab than on the field. “Fuck it’s cold here.” He grumbled as he blew on his gloved hands to warm them. This wasn’t what he expected, and it was actually colder than Antarctica had been. 

There was a light chuckle from the younger man next to him. Part of him wanted to snap at the kid, but he caught that the kid was doing the same as he was trying to stay warm. The terminal they were walking to was a good hundred yards away, and the rest of his men had gone ahead, the kid had stayed by his side though.

“Captain, sure this is where the lead was? I mean no one’s heard from Wesker in two years,” The kid finally spoke up, with that light drawl of his. Chris had chosen the kid as his in command only because he had a feeling if he didn’t keep the sniper close, someone else would snatch him up. Helped that the kid wasn’t afraid, even if there was some idol worship, to tell Chris he was being an idiot. Something that the older man actually admired in those he worked with. The honesty kept him honest. If Jill wanted her own team, he knew he had a good start on his own.

“This was where the data from the other base was. Luckily, Claire didn’t see that.” He didn’t want his kid sister in any deeper than she already was, even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep her out of it. Though right now, she was happily helping form Terrasave, hopefully it would keep her busy for a while.

The four of them, were waiting for the local contact and their team. He had pulled strings with Air force contacts to get them to Anderson Air Force Base, and with luck they’d be in the small town within the hour. At least it looked like they should, it was only twenty miles away, though Chris had been in the cockpit when their pilot landed. He was pretty sure he didn’t want to know what Gods the pilot prayed to, the landing strip had been pitch black, and once on the ground, even thirty feet away from the main terminal now, Chris could barely make out the lights. 

“Still trying to figure out who in their right mind would live up here.” Piers didn’t want to ramble, but talking just seemed right at the moment. “Because I’m starting to see why the Russians sold it so cheap. This is a Hell on Earth.”

Chris chuckled. Raccoon in the end there had been Hell on Earth, this… Okay, Piers was right it was far too dark and quiet. He wasn’t sure he liked it. The fog, so wasn’t helping.

“I don’t think it’s like this all the time Nivans.” He hefted his bag on his shoulder more heading to catch up with the rest of his men. He gave Nivans a look. “Come on, let’s at least figure out what to do somewhere a little warmer.”

“Too cold for you Captain?” Though the look of relief flashed across his face. He was starting to run out of warm summery thoughts. His rifle case was up on his shoulder as he walked, his go bag, on the same shoulder. “Please say they have hot coffee ready.”

“Understatement.” Chris grinned at him. He laughed. “I’m just hoping it’s actual coffee. I don’t want another of those sugary lattes.”

 

Three hours later had them all checked into a local hotel. The place was a little more quaint than Chris was used to, but it was the only place that had rooms open, the larger chains were full do to some sort of competition that would be going on in a few days. Chris had a small meeting with his men in his room before telling them to split up and explore a bit. They needed a better idea of the area before they could form a proper mission after all, and all of them needed a small break, if that meant doing this in a slightly unconventional way then be it.

“Max, really I’m a sports journalist, not a foodie.” He glanced over at the pair that entered the lobby. The older of the two was actually older than Nivens, who was still by his side, though at least Chris had gotten him to change into civilian clothes and not fatigues.

The girl, was young, Chris would have guessed a high school student. She had a small duffel bag over one shoulder, along with a camera around her neck. Her long hair was a pale strawberry, though the light hit it in the right way, and Chris thought of his sister for a moment, even though her hair was longer than he remembered Claire keeping her’s in a while.

“Oh come on, just one article on that website of yours please baby sis?” He draped his arm over her shoulder. “Jess is probably going to beg you to do it too, you really want to see her beg?”

The girl made a face, as if the thought was a horrible idea. “Oh, fine, only because my readers enjoy the stories about my trips.” She shrugged out of her jacket, realizing there were guests in the hotel lobby. 

“I’ll make it up to you Cole, I owe you a chocolate mousse from scratch right? Tonight, after Dad shows up,” He nodded to the pair to be polite, as the younger girl hefted a small duffelbag up on her shoulder more. “Catch you in a few hours alright Cole?”

“Better,” Cole called after him as she draped her coat over her shoulder. “Or I’m heading to GACR without you and ordering a double heart attack in a cup.” She called after her disappearing stepbrother. “Hi, thought the Army guys stayed on base.” She smiled to the pair.

“Ex-air force,” Chris responded, beat mentioning STARS right now, since they had heard she was a reporter. “Just here visiting some friends.” The story should hold up right? He doubted the kid would really do any looking in on two strangers.

Piers took the hint and nodded. “Though, they’re unavailable for a bit. Any sights we should see while in town?” The kid might know something at least, and well, she was cute. Would be a nice way to kill some time. “Well, that fit this season. Heard summers are better.”

“You’re in the best hotel. My big brother’s the head chef here so you have the food covered, and the onsen is the closest you’ll get to Japan and still be in the US.” She beamed brightly. “Though if you guys are into clubs, out of luck, there’s only two, one is a country western club, the other’s… Suited for a certain clientele. Just watch out for the probing.” She hoped that they’d get the hint it was a gay bar. “Area 51 if you really wanna try it.”

Chris chuckled at the name of the club and it being her not so subtle way of asking if they were together. Piers’s face going red and him stammering had the older man trying to keep from laughing.

“We, we’re not partners like that!” Piers outburst was a little louder than he wanted. He may idolize Chris, but he drew the line way before sleeping with him. There was too much respect to even consider that. Besides, he had never acted on those urges with any other guy he liked, why start now.

The girl grinned at his response. “And you’re cute flustered. Anyway, Onsen’s calling, have fun gentlemen.” She headed towards doors that lead deeper into the complex. The onsen was built into a courtyard that the building surrounded. The public entrance was from the main hall, though each wing had their own way in.

“Onsen? Wait? She’s going out to that pool in this cold?” Piers looked a little worried. “Isn’t it sixty below out there?”

Chris nodded. “It’s supposed to be good for pores or something.” He shrugged. “I’m going to go call our contacts. Meet up at seventeen hundred?” That would give them about six hours to kill. He was sure Piers couldn’t get into trouble in that time.

Piers gave a nod, watching the kid disappear around the corner. He had a feeling she knew what she was doing, but really, he wasn’t sure the cold was a good idea. 

“Cute kid.” Chris commented drawing his attention. “Oh, go, kid obviously knows the town, maybe you can have her be a tour guide. We can’t do anything until we have orders from DC anyway,” He whispered knowing that Piers would probably be the only one of his men that wouldn’t try anything with a local kid. “Just remember not too friendly.”

“Sure you don’t need help gathering the others?” He stammered a moment. “I mean it wouldn’t be that hard sir.” He slipped back into his professional demeanor, more out of habit than anything else.

“We’re effectively on leave for the next two days, enjoy it.” Chris grinned. “Or do I have to make it an order?”

“No Sir.” He relaxed his shoulders. “Might be a good idea to learn the lay out from a local though.”


	3. Fighters at Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ken and Zangief arrive in Fox Creek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while to get out. Life has been kicking me in the ass the last few weeks and starting a new business venture so yeah, hopefully I can work on this more often.

 

Fairbanks International Airport

 

Ken Masters stepped off the plane.  He had agreed to meet Zangief out of either of their home bases, mostly for sparing, normally he wouldn’t, but the Russian fighter had wanted to talk as well, without eavesdropping.  

Ken wasn’t sure why he wanted to talk to him, but he was curious as to what the big guy wanted to say.  Wasn’t all the time that one of Bison’s usual flunkies wanted to talk. The place chosen, Ken had chuckled about meeting in Fox Creek, if nothing else, they would be able to help a mutual non-combatant friend out, or at least her family.  Ken was a fan of Cole’s online journal, hell, he was still a little miffed that she hadn’t interviewed him yet, though had hunted down Ryu, getting his interview up first, then Chun Li’s. 

“Mr Masters?”  The person that spoke was in a charcoal colored suit, with heavy winter boots, much to Ken’s amusement.  

“You from Cook’s Inn?”  Ken managed not to crack a smile, the guy was trying his best to stay ‘serious’.  He found it amusing since really he was the only person that got off the plane that was taking their time.  The others were rushing about, probably locals hoping to get home soon.

“Yes sir.  I was asked to bring you to the inn.  The roads here are a bit tricky when there’s fog.”  He kept the 

“Then please, call me Ken.”  He gave a grin and the man relaxed.  “Heard it’s the best in town though. We’re what an hour away?”

He nodded.  “I’m Paul. Assistant head chef. No one else was willing to drive into Fairbanks.”  He held out his hand. “Though town’s small enough that it only takes half an hour to walk anywhere so hopefully it’s not too boring for you.”

“Would be a nice change of pace.”  He shook Paul’s hand. “I just have one bag to pick up then we can go.”

* * *

Two days wondering around the small town, despite the cold, had Ken understanding the little reporter more.  The place had a charming appeal. It was a far cry from San Francisco, or even Portland, where she lived. 

“Masters.”  

“I told you you could call me Ken Zangief.”  He gave a small wave to the large Russian, who was helping him feel even colder standing in the sub-zero temperatures in a tee shirt and jeans.  Ken pulled into his parka more.

“Yes yes, I remember.”  He chuckled slightly. “Are you cold little friend?”

“Just a little.”  He sighed. “If you didn’t notice this isn’t sunny California.”  He shook his head. “When did you get in?”

“Yesterday, staying over there.”  He pointed to one of the larger chain hotels in town.  “Just waiting for my little mouse to catch up.”

The thin build and red hair was familiar, though with the girl mostly covered in a parka Ken couldn’t tell who it was... Until she squealed happily.  “Ken! The hotel staff said you were there. I didn’t want to seem like a stalker so I didn’t ask what room.” She darted past the goliath Russian, catching him in a hug.  “I was just showing Zangief around, we ran into each other, boss wants me to get some shots of the tournament while I’m on vacation.” She gave a mock sigh since she would have taken photos anyway.    

“Cole,” He chuckled returning the hug.  “Okay seems it’s a good thing I ran into you.  Please say you know a decent place to get coffee.”  He set her down. “It’s too cold out here, though the inn has been better than expected.”

“Thanks, my brother and his friend have really put everything into it.”  Cole nodded. “I was just going to take the big guy to my favorite one. Wanna join us?  I have no problem playing tour guide as long as we don’t have Shadalou’s idiot squad showing up.”

Zangief shook his head.  “Not this time.” He smiled.  “I came to speak with Masters, without telling them.”  He put his hand on their shoulders. “Just here for a relaxing visit with Little Mouse and a fellow warrior.”

“I am never going to get rid of that nickname am I?”  She sighed linking her arm in Ken’s. “So, why the two of you decide out here?  This is like middle of nowhere." She asked glad to have someone who could keep her pace to walk with.  

“Where else to have a secret meeting than somewhere unknown to most?”  He grinned down at them. “And it is a cute name. You squeak when you are cheering us on.”

Ken nodded, the big guy had a point.  Made him wonder how much of the big dumb brute was an act with him.  “Though I think I like Ryu’s nickname for you more.”

“Zangief, two blocks up you’ll want to take the left.  It’s the large building at the end of the street.” She looked at Ken.  “You’re not allowed to call me a snow monkey. That’s between me and Dragon boy.”  She gave a mock pout trying and failing to look serious. Something almost impossible when you have a fur ruff on a purple coat decorated with bright childish flowers on.

He laughed at that.  “Oh please say you’ve called him that to his face before.”

“First day we met.”  She grinned. “It’s kind of why I got the ‘Snow Monkey’ as a nickname.  That and getting into a snowball fight with some at the hot springs we went to.  It worked to get him to loosen up a bit before the interview at least.”

“You know you still have yet to interview me.” The two were walking a few yards behind Zangief.  

She was saved by the Russian holding open the door for them, allowing the two to enter before he did.  “How about that table over there?” She asked Zangief, noting it would probably be more comfortable for him on one of the couches strewn about the dining room than one of the small bistro chairs.

“Ya, that is good.”  

“I’ll go get menus then, you two have a seat.”  She smiled pulling off her hood and heading for the counter.  She kept the smile up, though thought back on Ken’s words. He was right, she hadn’t really done a proper interview, in fact, she tended to treat Ken more like an older brother, which was why she didn’t think she should be the one to question him.  

Ken went over to the table with Zangief, watching the kid a moment.  Shaking his head he shrugged out of his thick coat. “I think you just beat out being as tough as a bear Zangief.  Pretty sure they’re all curled up warm in their beds while you’re out and about like that.”

The large man laughed, he was wearing a knit sweater and jeans, the look casual and causing looks since everyone else was bundled up with thick sweaters, jackets and the whole nine yards of winter gear.  He took up the couch when Ken put his coat on the back of one of the two chairs at the table. “I just don’t feel the cold like you or Mouse.” He grinned knowing that the nickname was one that she complained about but never had told him to stop.  When that happened he’d find a new one for her.


	4. Team baddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wesker and Dr. Ghost talk. The inn gets some surprise guests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that I haven't posted to this for a bit. Thanks to starting a new job that's killing my writing time. Though honestly I love the job so hope those of you who have liked this so far can bear with me a bit to get work life and writing life sorted out.
> 
> And I'm glad I decided against the joking chapter I had for this... Cockroach wouldn't fit Wesker.
> 
> Totally feel like I need some time magic spells or something to make it more than 24 hours in a day... ANYWAY! Enjoy.

Clarke Building  
Fox Creek Science Center

The call that was redirected from the front desk went to Gerald’s desk. Hearing the receptionist he knew why. It was Maxwell, his boss’s son. 

“Hey Max, what’s up?”

“Gerald, Dad around? Because I need to know if I should get the usual table or if I’m just treating Coleen to dinner.”

“Man, what’s the special tonight?” Gerald liked Max actually, the kid always made sure the lab assistants ate when he knew his dad was distracted.

“Moose meatloaf with cranberry ketchup. Want me to send Joey with a few plates?” 

Gerald glanced around the lab, other than himself, Dr Matthew Ghost, his visitor, there were three other lab assistants scattered around the clean room working on the project. “Can you add one veggie plate? Liza is here tonight.”

“One veggie plate, got it. How many others?”

“Five, I’ll make sure your dad gets to dinner.” 

“So I’ll send six, sounds like he’s lost in his project again.” Max chuckled. “I’ll send a six pack as well.”

“And there’s a reason why you’re a favorite here on campus man.” 

“I just know how bad a slave driver Dad is.” Max chuckled. “Order’s in.” He added.

“I’ll remind the Doc.”

“I’ll add desert into the order.” 

“You’re the best,” Gerald laughed.

\--

Albert Wesker watched Matthew a few moments. The man knew he was there, and reminded him a bit of how William was, part of him still wishing that Birkin had lived through Racoon. Matthew though, wasn’t as brilliant as William had been. The drive was there, but there was a coldness, about his work. He calculated the risks always reeling back if he felt that the results weren’t worth it. In some ways it kept him back in the company.

His assistant Gerald knocked on the door lightly. “Doc, your son called to remind you about dinner tonight.” He nodded politely to Albert. “Should I call him back tell him you’re bringing an associate?”

“Is that tonight?” He glanced up from the files he was looking over. “You know Albert, you could have at least gotten me a sample of the T or G.” He pushed away from the computer. “Tell my son I’ll try to be there.” He sighed, turning to his aide, ignoring the blonde for a moment. He cast a glance to Wesker. “As much of a failure he is in following my footsteps, he is a master in a kitchen.”

Wesker was leaning against the wall behind him. “It was all I could do to get that information out of Raccoon City.” Wesker thought a moment. “Might be good to get out of the lab.”

“And that was your mistake. I saw on the cameras at the hotel. Your little pet Redfield is here too. That will make my job so much easier. And they wanted me to test it on fighters.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “And tell me again why you came here? Thought you had a buyer already.”

 

“Couldn’t go without the antivirus and you’re the best after Birkin.” Wesker knew he had to humor the man a little. “Now you really sure you want to put your children in danger?” He did grin though, the thought that Chris was there, and the risk of being spotted by him, with the doctor would make things interesting. He doubted Redfield would do anything with the doctor’s children there. The youngest, as he glanced to the photo on the desk, had a resemblance to Claire. That, could probably prove to be useful.

“I’m not Birkin. May died, and I raised her child. Max, is useless in a lab, a wizard in a kitchen, but he’s a failure following in my footsteps. If this works, then maybe he’ll be useful, and Cole, well… Will be interesting to see how much she manages to document before she’s taken down. The girl’s stronger than she looks.” He sounded impressed by her. “I look forward to seeing how they fare against my life’s work.”

“You are a cold cold man Ghost.” Wesker laughed. 

“You say that like you can’t believe it. After all May was the love of my life. Max’s mother… was a mistake that I’m still in debt to you for dealing with.”

 / Only Happy when it Rains - Garbage /

Maxwell hummed along with the radio as he moved about the kitchen. The rest of his crew knew what they were doing, and usually stayed out of his way when he was in one of those creative moods. Those moods, were what had taken a dive hotel and turned it into a 5 star in the year that the new ownership had taken over.

“Max, table three is insisting on a recipe for the special tonight.” One of the waitresses said grinning. “He’s one of those big wigs that are here overnight before heading East.”

Max glanced up, his dark eyes watching her a moment. “That was the table of European chefs wasn’t it?”

She nodded. “Want me to escort them into the kitchen?”

He stammered a moment. 

“Bev, go ahead. I think you broke the chef’s head a moment, give us five to jumpstart his brain again.” This was from his assistant. “Make that ten,” He added as she turned to walk back to the dining hall.

“Will do!” She flashed a mock salute. Bev enjoyed her job way too much at times, watching Max zone out was part of the fun. And the food was amazing. The fact that they managed to keep the prices low, as in just slightly higher than fast food, helped a lot too. Even if she didn’t abuse her employee discount there, she could easily afford meals there on her college budget. The job, wasn’t something she wanted a career out of, though it would be tempting just to work beside Max more. 

“Max, might wanna snap out of it, we’re gonna have incoming.”

“Right.” Max bit his lip a moment. “Pete you been writing things down?”

“Of course.” Peter chuckled knowing how absentminded Max could be. 

“Good, I’ll probably need it later. Could you send someone to see if Cole left yet?”

“She’ll be fine Max. Really, your baby sister isn’t such a baby anymore.” Pete chuckled. “You guys know what to do, just like always.”

“Well, I promised her mom okay. God knows Dad’s always busy.” He shot back knowing that Pete was right. He didn’t need to protect his little sister. The black belts he insisted she get in jujitsu and karate both, had been enough to ease him some on that front. Max fell back into his groove moving around the kitchen, even entertaining the visiting chefs for a bit.


	5. Research

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris makes a visit to the library...

Chris had let his team scatter, they thought they were there for a mission, but he had actually been going off a hunch, after the last encounter with Wesker, he was grasping at straws, not that he’d tell his team. At this point it was only because he didn’t fully trust them, after all, they had been assigned to him by the other heads of the BSAA, and Chris really didn’t think that this would end up like Kijuju.

He sighed a moment shaking his head at the thoughts. After all, they were there to still do a job. One that was being made more difficult by the fighters in town. What better way to test a B.O.W. out than on someone who could fight back…

The labs that the town were built around had been one of UMBRELLA’s think tanks, the man currently running it had no ties to UMBRELLA, or TRICELL or whatever the fuck they were calling themselves now. In fact, he had been one of CDC’s best and brightest until the love of his life had died in a freak accident. It was about the time he had come to Fox Creek, according to the files, it was so that he could research the potential dangers that the Arctic glaciers held. The man was a glorified analyst, nothing more.

While the rest of his team was out researching the town, and he was hoping that Nivens was sticking with the doctor’s daughter, he was going through public files in the library. Trying to find blueprints of the labs. If his gut was right, they could come in handy if the doctor flipped. 

“Mr. Redfield, not sure if these files will help you any.” The librarian was carrying a stack of books at least two feet tall, only her eyes and bangs peeking over the stack. “These are from my collection, mostly just rumor mill stories about the town.” She set the stack on the table pushing her glasses up on her nose again. 

“That,” He paused a moment. “Is an impressive collection for a town so new.”

“That’s what I thought when I moved here. The town’s only twenty years old, and really, one of the four largest cities in the state already. So there had to be something weird, right? Some of these are books from local tribes. They say this land is cursed, which is why there aren’t villages in this part of the Tanana Valley. Before the town was built, any of the mining settlements disappeared soon after being built too.” 

Chris remembered hearing that too. The city seemed to pop up overnight, and seemed plagued with hardships. The college alone had six fires in the last ten years. “Do you believe the curse?”

She stood there a moment thinking it over. “I know that we get colder temperatures than Fairbanks, which is at the other end of the floodplain. At first I thought it was because of the permafrost, but we don’t have the black spruce around, or as much of it. We have diamond willow, which is another indicator of ice under the city, but… the town isn’t sinking either.” She glanced out the doorway as she spoke. “Though there is something strange here. In the ice fog lately, you can hear the cries of animals in pain. Usually, the fog silences everything.” She set the books on the counter. 

Chris watched her, the girl was about twenty five, mousy brown hair in a long braid. The shirt she wore was one of those baseball shirts that Becca loved so much back in Raccoon, though she had a flannel over it and was wearing jeans and heavy boots. In the two days that they had been there, he had found out she was a transplant, enticed there by the thought of the ‘Alaskan Adventure’. Her home was back east, one of the Carolinas if he remembered correctly. “Right, the fog here, we’re too far inland for it to be natural, and it’s the middle of winter.” At least as far as he knew that was true, though the whole valley, at least three hundred miles inland, had had fog covering it, in temperatures that had him wondering why anything would be living there. 

“The cold air freezes the moisture in the air.” She answered. “And it holds it in the valley until it’s warm enough to melt again. I thought when I got here two years ago that it was a lot like the fog back home, there’s more of an eerie isolated feel here, at least back home you could hear the sounds of the bay on a foggy night.” She leaned against the table. “Here, it’s a little more dangerous. They compensate for it with the lighting at least. The whole town is run by the geothermal vents about four miles away. It’s close enough to the surface to harness, but not be dangerous to us. At least that’s what the scientists are saying. But since they’ve tapped it, the fog’s been thicker. Fairbanks doesn’t get it this bad until it’s at least forty below, as soon as temperatures hit subzero teens here we have the blanket.” She leaned against the counter, reaching over it for the travel mug that sported palm trees, taking a sip from it. “Ugh, okay my coffee’s cold again.”

“So most of the winter?” He mused wondering if maybe his hunch was right. The isolation would make it a great testing site, thy were far enough from Fairbanks, that if the town had to be locked down there wouldn’t be a risk of an infection spreading either. Glancing at her, he was glad she was a little preoccupied as the thought hit him. “Don’t keep me from the coffee pot.”

Fox Creek wasn’t just a perfect testing site, it was easily disposable too, the ice under the city, the geothermal vents, the city was built on a natural landmine.

“Want some?” She nodded, though caught movement at the main desk. “Shoot, someone’s at the counter, I have to get back to work.” She tucked the mug back out of sight.

“Nah, it’s okay. Wouldn’t want to break the rules.” Though Chris noted the decor on the desk, palm trees and cute animal toys, had to be her personal additions to the dreary building. Most of the walls were done in a pale cream, with a few reading nooks with fireplaces and wooden panelling. The shelves themselves were cold iron, with the exception of the children’s room, which was done up with bright colors, one wall had a mural of a star filled sky, the floor before it was sunken down, with bean bags that looked like lily pads for reading on. Behind the checkout desk had been a large saltwater tank with coral and octopi. “It’s alright, thank you for these Vivian.” As soon as she was gone he rubbed his face. “Fuck,” he whispered as soon as she was out of earshot.

This was where he really wished Jill was with him, or Becca, both were better with research. He prefered just getting the cliffnotes on the target.


End file.
